Highlights

• Some DLCs for video games offer great additional content, like the Minerva's Den DLC for BioShock 2 and the Blood Dragon DLC for Far Cry.
• DLCs can enhance the overall experience of a game by introducing new stories, characters, and maps, such as the Iceborne DLC for Monster Hunter: World and the Artorias of the Abyss DLC for Dark Souls.
• DLCs like the Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2 and the Peril on Gorgon DLC for The Outer Worlds provide players with new races, missions, gear, and narratives, keeping the game fresh and engaging.

As much as some gamers detest downloadable content for making them spend more money, there is some great DLC out there that provides great value. Sometimes, the DLC is even the best part of the game, offering additional content for a world players already love.

Some DLC introduce new and memorable characters, and others open entire new maps to explore. It is no wonder fans typically feel like they are being forced to spend more money; after all, how could they not want that content if they loved playing through the base game?

Updated on January 3, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: While some people still have some problems with how DLC is integrated into modern games, this isn't necessarily the case for every release. Some studios understand how important it is to develop good DLC for a game to keep it as relevant as possible, with most people getting an excuse to check out these games and the new content they feature. Some games truly go above and beyond to ensure that players have a great time with the DLC, which can sometimes rival and exceed the quality of the main narrative.

26 Immortals Fenyx Rising

DLC: A New God, Myths Of The Eastern Realm, The Lost Gods

Released in time for Christmas 2020, Immortals Fenyx Rising is an open-world action adventure from the developers of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. Just like Odyssey, Fenyx Rising has an Ancient Greek setting but doesn’t take itself anywhere near as seriously.

Immortal’s art style and gameplay mechanics are more reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It also has a great sense of humor that is very tongue-in-cheek, a refreshing change from the somber and somewhat overly serious tone in most open-world Ubisoft games. Immortals is already a huge game, and it has three unique DLCs worth checking out for players who love the gameplay of this unique title.

25 Hitman (World Of Assassination Trilogy)

DLC: The Sarajevo Six & Patient Zero (Hitman), The Expansion Pass (Hitman 2)

The new Hitman trilogy – also known as the World of Assassination trilogy – was released in 2016, 2018, and 2020 respectively. The games functioned both as a sequel and a reboot for the series after Hitman: Absolution failed to meet the studio’s expectations.

With the new Hitman trilogy releasing under a "games as a service" model, the developers were able to update it with new targets, goals, and brand new rewards with the Elusive targets. In addition, the games have seen new DLC missions like Patient Zero, which were significant to the narrative. Players are even able to add their Elusive targets, creating their levels and challenges to the game and ensuring it always feels fresh.

24 The Outer Worlds

DLC: Peril On Gorgon, Murder On Eridanos

The Outer Worlds resembles a mixture of Bioware's Mass Effect franchise and Bethesda's Fallout series in terms of both story and gameplay. Like those games, Outer Worlds also got DLC: Peril on Gorgon and Murder on Eridanos.

Peril on Gorgon adds new perks, flaws, NPCs, items, and quests, as well as an entirely new planet to explore. The level cap was also increased, allowing players to build even stronger characters. Murder on Eridanos is a much more narrative DLC, appealing to players who love good storytelling. It also adds to the level cap and introduces new flaws and perks, new characters, and more items.

23 Dishonored

DLC: The Knife Of Dunwall, The Brigmore Witches

Just like the Hitman series, Dishonored is a stealth series that is already packed with variety and content to keep players busy. This is thanks to the different approaches that are available for players in every mission.

The DLC content in the first game alone is worth the price of admission. Both The Knife of Dunwall and The Brigmore Witches play and feel like their own games. They also act as a bridge into the sequel Dishonored 2, which has some fantastic standalone DLC of its own.

22 Sleeping Dogs

DLC: Year Of The Snake, Zodiac Tournament, Nightmare In North Point

Sleeping Dogs is one of the most underrated video games ever made. Born from the ashes of the True Crime series, Sleeping Dogs is a great title, with its open-world exploration and combat being pretty engaging indeed.

If that wasn't great enough as is, the game also has three DLCs that are a ton of fun to play through. Nightmare in North Point and Year of the Snake are fun stories in their own right, but it's the Zodiac Tournament's homage to classic kung-fu movies that take the cake.

21 Splatoon 2

DLC: Octo Expansion

The Octo Expansion of Splatoon 2 changed the game for everyone, even for those who did not buy the expansion themselves. The MMO now had octoling characters running around. After all, what is cooler than playing characters of a race that were mostly known as the bad guys in the franchise? (However, it is revealed many of them were mind-controlled, offering extra context for their evil nature).

Not only did the DLC give the player a new race choice, but many new missions and some new gear to wear. DLC like this helps keep fans engaged and ensures the game never gets old.

20 BioShock Infinite

DLC: Burial At Sea

The two-episode game expansion for Bioshock Infinite, Burial at Sea, takes players back to Rapture from the first couple of Bioshock titles. The characters are seen in a new light, with Booker as a private detective and Elizabeth as a femme fatale character.

This did not just hook in players of Bioshock Infinite but fans of the first games as well. Fans of the first games got to see what Rapture was like before its fall. The expansion also works as a great ending to the series, making it all come full circle.

19 Borderlands 2

DLC: Captain Scarlett And Her Pirate's Booty, Mr. Torgue's Campaign Of Carnage, Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt, And Tiny Tina's Assault On Dragon Keep

This game has a ton of DLC. In fact, the count of how much is 47 different DLCs through Steam. Of all of them, though, the one fans cannot miss is Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep. It is delightful because people play as a character in the in-game Dungeon and Dragons session.

It is incredibly silly and fun with its humor and fantasy cliches. It is also a little emotional, having characters develop so players get an emotional payoff in the end.

18 Bioshock 2

DLC: Minerva's Den

BioShock 2 is a sequel to one of the greatest video games ever made, and most people felt like the sequel didn't add anything to the series. While this is understandable, BioShock 2 did succeed on one front — its DLC.

Minerva's Den is one of the best stories told in the series that truly captures the heart of BioShock. It was a fitting sendoff to the city of Rapture, with BioShock Infinite moving its setting to the floating city of Columbia instead, until the DLCs came out, that is.

17 Far Cry 3

DLC: Blood Dragon

Far Cry 3 is a great game that modernized the franchise, even though it gave Ubisoft a template that they've copied over and over again for later games in the series with varying degrees of success.

It helped that Far Cry 3 had a pretty great DLC in the form of Blood Dragon as well. This entertaining piece of DLC was filled to the brim with boundless humor, further bolstered by an eye-catching art style that was perfect for its short yet sweet runtime.

16 Monster Hunter World

DLC: Iceborne

The Monster Hunter series became incredibly popular after the release of Monster Hunter World, which is widely considered by many to be the best and most accessible title in the series. A major release on all platforms helped this series catch the eye of potential fans who weren't into the whole idea of playing a tough game on portable consoles.

The sheer number of monsters that can be hunted in this game is high enough as is, and Iceborne increases the scope of the world even more. It's easy to see why so many people find this DLC to be nigh-mandatory to enjoy the game at its full potential.

15 Dark Souls

DLC: Artorias Of The Abyss

Dark Souls is one of the greatest action RPGs ever made. If that wasn't good enough as is, the DLCs are also absolutely enthralling.

Artorias of the Abyss fleshes out the story of the world while also adding some of the best bosses in the entire series. The move to faster and more aggressive styles that FromSoftware would eventually adopt can be seen in this DLC, marking the start of something truly magical.

14 Shovel Knight

DLC: Plague Of Shadows. Specter Of Torment, King Of Cards, Shovel Knight Showdown

Released in 2014, Shovel Knight is a game of much critical acclaim and a pile of awards for its character design, gameplay, and music. It also got its fair share of DLC as well as free updates.

The DLCs explored other characters and their stories. These included Specter of Torment with Specter Knight, King of Cards with King Knight, and Plague of Shadows with Plague Knight. Players can also download Shovel Knight Showdown, which is a fighting game.

13 Diablo 2

DLC: Lord Of Destruction

While Diablo 2 may be over 20 years old at this point, it is still relevant to modern gamers. After all, the game's remaster is set to be released this very year, with the DLC integrated with it.

The DLC that gamers loved so much for this title was the Lord of Destruction expansion. This DLC offered two new classes, Assassin and Druid. It also added an additional Act to the story, many more items, and the ability to play the game in a higher resolution.

12 Baldur's Gate 2

DLC: Throne Of Bhaal

Baldur's Gate 2 is often compared to Diablo 2, as both came out around the same time and were marketed toward fans of Dungeons and Dragons. Also, like Diablo 2, Baldur's Gate 2 had popular expansion content. Throne of Bhaal provided the ultimate conclusion to the game, as well as taking a deeper dive into the protagonists' history.

Outside of the story, the DLC also added a higher experience cap, a new dungeon, and a Wild Mage class. Plenty more abilities, new spells, and more items also became available to players.

11 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

DLC: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, And Dragonborn

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has three DLCs, which were warmly welcomed by hungry fans. They are Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire. Dawnguard is taking part in a war between werewolves and vampires, Hearthfire lets players build a house and adopt children, and Dragonborn unlocks a new boss who was the first Dragonborn but got corrupted.

All three are very entertaining and add many more hours of gameplay. Players get a bit of everything from more characters to more equipment to more maps. If players love Skyrim, then it is a no-brainer to buy these three DLCs.

10 Cyberpunk 2077

DLC: Phantom Liberty

To say that Cyberpunk 2077's launch was rough would be a massive understatement, so it's heartwarming to see CD Projekt Red restoring its goodwill by updating the game numerous times, with the advent of Update 4.0 and Phantom Liberty being a huge turning point for the title's reputation.

All of a sudden, Cyberpunk 2077 was held in high regard as a game that is a must-play in the action RPG genre, which is a breathtaking turnaround for the game. It helps that Phantom Liberty is also an excellent expansion that builds upon the success of the game to make for something truly remarkable.

9 Red Dead Redemption

DLC: Undead Nightmare

The first Red Dead Redemption was released way back in 2010 and is still highly regarded as one of the best open-world action-adventure games of all time. Set against the backdrop of the American Wild West, Red Dead is a huge game on its own merit.

However, Rockstar outdid itself with the massive DLC expansion Undead Nightmare. It transformed the game into a stylized Hammer Horror-themed zombie game complete with weaponized Holy Water, Sasquatches, and more.

8 Grand Theft Auto 4

DLC: The Lost And The Damned, The Ballad Of Gay Tony

Compared to the somewhat colorful experiences seen in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto 4 was a much grittier experience in Liberty City. Not all fans fell in love with the game’s tone, but it still had some iconic moments, like the Heat-inspired bank robbery mission.

It was the standalone DLC episodes, The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and The Damned, where the game’s story shone. The Lost and the Damned allowed players to live out their Sons of Anarchy fantasy with its biker-themed storyline. However, The Ballad of Gay Tony is the real star of the show. It has an amazing cast of characters, and a solid protagonist in Luis Lopez, and it expertly tells the story of the titular Tony through the eyes of the lead character. Additionally, it nicely wraps up the GTA 4 storyline with some very worthwhile content.

7 The Last Of Us

DLC: Left Behind

Some DLCs take a step backward instead of forwards. For example, The Last of Us had its DLC called Left Behind, which explored Ellie's backstory before the events of the base game. While it won't add as many hours as Skyrim's content, it is very well-designed and emotional. It helps players understand more about Ellie and the tragedy she has gone through before meeting Joel.

This is the kind of DLC that can stand on its own rather than just be a part of a whole. It makes for a good short story.